Welcome to the department of Classical Studies at Boston College. We offer language and advanced reading courses in Latin and ancient Greek, in addition to a range of courses on ancient culture taught entirely in English. The Classical Studies undergraduate program offers both a Classics major and an interdisciplinary minor in Ancient Civilization. At the graduate level, the department supports a small Master of Arts program.
The undergraduate curriculum is designed to provide students with access to ancient civilizations regardless of their prior experience. Courses are offered at all levels, both in the classical languages and English, allowing students to choose what form suits them best.
The department offers language courses in elementary and intermediate Latin, Greek, and Modern Greek. These courses are aimed at preparing students for advanced study in ancient literature, while also satisfying the University’s language requirement. The major is primarily focused around upper-level reading courses on Greek and Roman literature in the text’s original language. The minor is based around the broad selection of courses taught entirely in English on the subjects of ancient history, literature, art, and culture. Some courses taught in English may carry credit towards the literature Core curriculum requirement.
The Classical Studies department offers Master of Arts degrees in:
A thesis option is available, with departmental permission, for the M.A. degree. The M.A. degree consists of 30 credits taken within the department. Candidates for any degree are required to complete: a departmental reading list; pass both written and oral examinations; and demonstrate the ability to read a modern foreign language, usually French or German, using a dictionary.